“In great households, who doesn’t have their heart set on climbing higher? To speak brazenly, this servant believes herself to be quite capable. Though I cannot claim to possess any great talent, even a head maid raised in a household like the Lu family would be more distinguished than a young miss from an ordinary small household.

“But I was matched to a manservant. When the young master initially chose me, he didn’t consult with me at all—he simply gave the order directly. I was unwilling in my heart, yet didn’t dare resist openly. If Young Master Wan were to arrange marriages for his servants, he would surely inquire about their wishes, wouldn’t he? But Young Master Lu did not.”

Fuxue began to sob brokenly, appearing as aggrieved as if the Lu family’s eldest young master had murdered her parents and relatives.

Next door, Lu Xi, who had finally managed to creep up to the wooden door, wore an expression of shock and fury.

How could this be? How could she fabricate lies behind his back to slander the eldest young master?

When the eldest young master had arranged their betrothal, he clearly knew that he and Fuxue had been fond of each other in private. The master had inquired about both their feelings before arranging their engagement. Fuxue had been bought through human traffickers, and the eldest young master had even instructed him to help search for her family. When they found she had no remaining relatives except for an uncle’s family, the master had sent ten taels of silver to them.

Such great kindness, yet Fuxue felt no gratitude and instead fabricated stories about the young master behind his back!

Hearing Fuxue speak this way, Pang Xiao knew she was spouting nonsense. He too was someone who managed subordinates—the Lu family’s eldest son wasn’t a fool. How could he possibly arrange marriages for servants without asking their opinions?

Pang Xiao played along: “How could this be?”

“That’s exactly what happened. But given my humble birth, I had no power to speak for myself. Actually, the eldest young master might not know this, but Madam once said she would have my hair arranged and elevate me to become someone in the eldest young master’s inner quarters. Like several other head maids, I had served the eldest young master for many years. Though I never served the eldest young master in… that capacity, many people outside assumed this, all believing I belonged to the eldest young master. Yet the eldest young master betrothed me to his manservant. Where could I put my face?”

Thinking of these matters, Fuxue felt so aggrieved that tears streamed down her cheeks. This time, she truly began to cry.

Pang Xiao said: “Ah, who would have thought Fuxue was also a person of bitter fate. Since you had the status to become Young Master Lu’s concubine, how did you end up being sold later?”

“I…” Fuxue hesitated, her eyes darting about before she continued, “I was also indignant and went to speak plainly with the eldest young master. Who knew that day the ground was slippery, and I carelessly stumbled, falling against the eldest young master. The eldest young master then said I was wanton and was deliberately trying to seduce him.

“Moreover, a maid who served alongside me also falsely accused me, saying I had privately tried to seduce the head steward’s son as well. In my anger, I wanted to cut my hair to prove my innocence, but the eldest young master said, ‘You needn’t cut your hair. A lowly creature like you isn’t worthy of Lu Xi—you should go match with those wild men instead.’ Afterward, he sent me to the Fragrant Gathering Pavilion. I… I was truly wronged! Wuu wuu wuu!”

While crying, Fuxue leaned weakly against Pang Xiao.

Pang Xiao neither avoided her nor made any movement.

Delighted, Fuxue simply wrapped her arms around Pang Xiao’s arm and wept pitifully.

Next door, Lu Xi had become completely stunned.

He wasn’t a fool. These past days, he had noticed the eldest young master’s hesitant expressions when looking at him. He had also heard Fuxue’s tearful complaints to him and her current distortion of facts. Moreover, from the conversation outside, Fuxue was clearly trying to ingratiate herself with this Young Master Wan…

The eldest young master was right—this was indeed a wanton woman!

She clearly looked down on him as a mere servant, yet had previously seduced him. How foolish he had been to fall for her tricks and harbor resentment toward the eldest young master for selling his fiancée!

When he had wandered the streets, it was the eldest young master who took him in, gave him food and clothing, even brought him along to study, promoted him to be a personal attendant, and treated him as a confidant. In private, the master trusted him more than he would a blood brother.

Thinking about it now, when his fiancée went to seduce the eldest young master, the master probably couldn’t speak plainly about it in front of her to preserve his face, could he?

Lu Xi’s tears burst forth like a broken dam, and he began sobbing uncontrollably.

Here, Pang Xiao keenly heard the crying from next door and irritably pushed Fuxue away with a sharp movement.

He didn’t mind adding more fuel to the fire.

“Fuxue, when you went to speak reasonably with the eldest young master back then, did you also lean against the man and weep like this, hmm?”

Fuxue stared at Pang Xiao in bewilderment, tears hanging on her powdered cheeks.

Pang Xiao said: “I only just bought you, yet you can slander your former master in front of me and throw yourself at me. With just a little testing, you’ve revealed your true nature. I’ve seen plenty of women like you who are single-mindedly focused on climbing higher. Go down. Your services aren’t needed here.”

Fuxue stared blankly at the handsome man before her, only now realizing he had sharp, penetrating eyes that seemed able to see straight into her heart.

How had she previously thought this man was a fool? He had clearly been testing her all along!

Fuxue retreated two steps, wanting to argue but not daring to. Acting purely on instinct, she curtsied and fled in panic.

Pang Xiao leaned casually against the armrest of the grand chair, boredly covering his mouth as he yawned, then glanced back toward the partition.

The suppressed weeping there had become even more distinct.

He still felt somewhat sympathetic toward this Lu Xi. If it were him—if a woman he wholeheartedly loved turned out to be two-faced, seducing him openly while secretly despising and using him—he would probably want to kill someone.

Fortunately, his Yi Jie’er was wholehearted toward him and would never break his heart. On the contrary, it was always he who wronged her.

Thinking of Qin Yining, Pang Xiao’s heart filled with tender affection and love. Recalling how she had cooperated with his act earlier—a side of her he would never see normally—made his heart itch with longing like a cat’s scratching.

Ignoring Lu Xi, who was crying pitifully alone, Pang Xiao strode back to the bedchamber to find Qin Yining.

At this time, Qin Yining was working on embroidery patterns with Bingtang and Ji Yun, listening to Ji Yun discuss taking Fuxue out.

“That Fuxue truly can’t be trusted. She’s quite skilled with her tongue and good at gathering information opportunistically, but unfortunately too clever for her own good, always taking others for fools. Her deception techniques amount to nothing more than sweet talk and flattery. Moreover, she’s very greedy and gluttonous—she wants to taste everything she sees and buy extras to take back with her.”

Ji Yun shook her head: “To think the Lu family would have such a maid. It truly shows that the same rice feeds a hundred different kinds of people.”

Bingtang clicked her tongue: “With such character, perhaps her young master wasn’t wrong to sell her.”

Pang Xiao arrived at the door just in time to hear this and laughed: “You’re absolutely right—she wasn’t wronged at all.”

“My lord.” Bingtang and Ji Yun both stood and bowed.

Qin Yining looked up with a smile: “How did it go? What did you find out?”

“Nothing particularly surprising, just as we guessed earlier. To climb higher, she seduced the manservants around the young master, as well as the head steward’s son. Then she went to flatter the eldest young master, but Young Master Lu wasn’t fooled by her act. Seeing through her true nature, he kicked her out and sold her.

“I imagine the eldest young master was quite angry too—he had kindly chosen a wife for his personal attendant, only to discover she was such trash. Yet he couldn’t very well tell his brother directly that his fiancée had come to seduce him.”

Qin Yining shook her head and couldn’t help sighing.

“At such a young age, instead of doing something proper, she had to do such things. Once one’s character is flawed, isn’t a lifetime ruined?”

“Indeed.” Pang Xiao agreed. “What people absolutely cannot lose are their moral character and principles. If one has good character, current misfortunes might see brighter days ahead. But if one does immoral things, even current success might eventually lead to downfall.”

Qin Yining said: “When we teach Zhao Ge’er and Han Ge’er, we must also emphasize character above all. They needn’t be particularly learned, but they must be good people. When we have the opportunity in future, I’ll have my father provide enlightenment for the two children. I don’t expect them to achieve literary honors, but they must conduct themselves uprightly.”

Pang Xiao nodded in agreement: “Father-in-law is talented and possesses great wisdom. I’ll teach the children military strategy, have Mutou teach them martial arts in future, and invite father-in-law to emerge from retirement to teach them literature and proper conduct. Hey, tell me, with such education, how could our children fail to become pillars of society?”

Qin Yining smiled with narrowed eyes: “Having Young Master Mu teach them would certainly be good, but there’s one thing—don’t let Tianji Zi near my sons, lest he corrupt them.”

Pang Xiao burst out laughing.

Tianji Zi was still confined somewhere, and he wondered if she had learned her lesson this time.

As they chatted, their conversation naturally turned to their own household. Bingtang and Ji Yun, standing guard at the door, couldn’t help but smile. When the princess and prince were together, they both seemed to become like children.

After thinking, Qin Yining said: “I think the Lu family’s eldest young master cares greatly for his personal attendant. He’ll probably come looking soon. We should prepare in advance.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve already given instructions. When the time comes, I’ll protect you.”

Qin Yining smiled and nodded: “I know. Being with you is naturally the safest.”

Her eyes curved into crescents from smiling, and when she looked at him, her tenderness was like soaking his heart in warm springs.

After experiencing so much hardship and suffering so much, she still trusted him.

Moved and grateful, Pang Xiao couldn’t help but pull her tightly into his embrace, reverently kissing her forehead.

He couldn’t speak mushy words aloud, but the phrase “how fortunate to have you” that repeated in his heart unconsciously escaped in a low murmur.

Qin Yining smiled and wrapped her arms around Pang Xiao’s waist: “Me too. How fortunate to have you.”

The two embraced quietly. Even Ji Yun and Bingtang at the door didn’t dare breathe loudly, afraid of disturbing such peaceful tranquility.

But just then, urgent footsteps suddenly echoed across the deck.

Huzi ran in quickly, calling loudly: “Young master, trouble! Someone below is causing a disturbance!”

Pang Xiao and Qin Yining immediately separated, exchanged a glance, and said in unison: “He’s here.”

Pang Xiao pulled Qin Yining to her feet and led everyone up to the deck together.

Night had fallen, lanterns were hung on the boat, and colorful light reflections danced across the lake surface.

Standing on deck and looking down, Pang Xiao saw a handsome young man in azure brocade robes standing on shore with his hands behind his back. Behind him were fifty or sixty uniformly dressed guards and servants, each wielding eyebrow-high staffs, glaring fiercely up at the bow with murderous intent.